Apr

1

April 1942

A quiet week in the air over Britain

Squadron Leader Charles Green, commanding 'A' Flight of No. 600 Squadron at Predannack in Cornwall, checks the serviceability of his Beaufighters after a night of patrolling over the West Country, April 1942.

Britain had seen the end of the worst of the Blitz in May 1941 but had endured much incidental bombing since then, with occasional hit and run bombers causing significant casualties. This week proved to be exceptionally quiet, unusually there were no fatalities:

HOME SECURITY SITUATION.
By Day

On 27th March bombs were dropped on Torquay Harbour and off Brixham and on the 31st a coal hulk was sunk in Brixham harbour.

By Night.

On the night of 26th/27th March bombs were dropped at several points in Berwickshire, Durham and Yorkshire. A Benzole plant was destroyed at Malton Colliery. On two other nights minor incidents occurred at Dunwich, Scarborough and Southwold.

Estimated civilian casualties for the week ending 0600 on the 1st April are two seriously injured.

From the Air Situation Report for the week as reported to the British War Cabinet, see TNA CAB 66/23/20

Elsewhere preparations for war continued.

King George VI (left) with Army officers at a railway station when he arrived to inspect troops of 2nd Infantry Division at Burford-on-the-Water and Moreton-in-the-Marsh, Gloucestershire, 1 April 1942.

A West Indian Merchant Seaman firing a Lewis Gun. Gunnery School for inter-allied merchant seamen. 1 and 2 April 1942, Liverpool.

Commandos in an assault landing craft (LCA) during an exercise, April 1942.

Recruits at an infantry training centre in Southern Command bayonet sacks of straw on an assault course, 1 April 1942.

A recovery team works on a Valentine tank of 30th Armoured Brigade, 11th Armoured Division, which broke down in a stream during exercises near Kirkby Lonsdale in Lancashire, 1 April 1942.

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